A standard economy-class-type passenger seat for an aircraft comprises of a seat bottom, a reclining seat back and armrests, all supported by structural frames mounted on a laterally spaced-apart leg assembly.
One of the most common causes of injuries experienced in an aircraft crash is by excessive initial loads caused by deceleration, for which loads the materials of the aircraft's underlying support structures and their ability to dissipate energy are the main factors. For example, in a crash scenario, a 14 g downward load may be experienced.
Typically, the leg assembly design has taken into account the 14 g downward load crash scenario. A leg assembly that is too stiff may be able to prevent the seat from collapsing on itself during a crash, keeping the occupants safe from being crushed. However, that stiffness in turn may cause damage to the vital internal organs and spinal column of the passenger, as little energy is attenuated or absorbed during the incident. Conversely, if the leg assembly is too flexible, it would overly deform and fail in a crash.
Embodiments of the present invention seek to provide at least an alternative to existing approaches for addressing the 14 g downward load in a crash scenario.